F#%K A STORY!

Good morning Consumers, This is Please Consume, the newsletter that loves movies more than Leo loves girls born between the years 2002 - 2005.

This is what we’ve got for today 👇️ 

• Tyler gives us the final Action Hero!

• The staff gives you their picks for what you should be watching this weekend.

• News and Notes.

Let’s get rolling…

With the release of Expend4bles we wanted to look back at the franchise's leading men and talking about their greatest hits as we go around the horn for another mission with our favorite action heroes, past and present!

The Raid: Redemption (2011)

Written by Tyler Clark

Over the last week, we've looked at the Expendables lineup, celebrating the history of action cinema. But what about the future? One of the things Expendables likes to do is highlight the up-and-comers, call their shots for stars of the present and future.

The series includes performances from guys like Jason Statham, Glen Powell, Ronda Rousey, and Scott Adkins. Some worked out, some not so much.

But this newest installment adds to it one of the most impressive stars of the day. And that's who we'll be discussing. Let's dive into the film that made one Mister Iko Uwais a superstar with The Raid: Redemption!

In Case You Haven't Heard

For those who are hearing about this movie for the first time, let me set the stage for you. The Raid: Redemption, or as it's called in Indonesia (translated to English), Death Raid, is a bare-bones action film from 2011 that has little interest in characters or plot but rather invests its energy into creating some of the most electric action sequences in all of cinema. So, how did this project come about?

Welsh director Gareth Evans moved to Indonesia to make a documentary about Pencak Silat, the style of martial arts seen in the film. Through that, Evans connected with the one and only Iko Uwais, and they were off to the races. Initially, they wanted to make a prison brawl movie, but after they couldn't secure sufficient funding, they shifted their vision to something within their scope, and thus, The Raid was born.

Don't fret for the brawler boys because that prison screenplay later had many of its elements adopted into The Raid 2.

F#%K A STORY!

As the title of this section suggests, this film pays little mind to its plotting.

It's a film that knows what its audience wants and gives it to them. Back in the 80s, Spielberg and Lucas talked about how they wanted to make an action film that cuts out all the boring stuff. Thus, we were given Indiana Jones. That's what, in many ways, it feels like The Raid aims to do in its structure.

It gives you, at most, five minutes of stakes/character development to start the film, and then from there, they push the limits of how much action you can pack into one movie. It'd be overwhelming if it wasn't so masterfully paced. But if this film is all action, how does it pull said action off?

F#%K A STUNT DOUBLE!

The action in this film is unbelievable at times. The kinetic nature of these sequences is god-tier. It really shows that the fight choreography is done by the film's stars, Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian (who you may know as the heavy at the end of John Wick 3). The way they move is so precise yet raw; it's a great argument for the convergence of actors and stunt performers.

In the same way, Keanu Reeves is so exciting to watch in the John Wick franchise because he is not only doing the stunts himself but he is so good at using these fights to communicate and perform; teach your audience about the character through how they fight. Similarly, watching the stars of this project gives you performance and spectacle simultaneously.

A fight sequence truly excels when you have the right team both behind and in front of the camera. Gareth Evans cleverly lets the filmmaking step back in importance. He opts for wide shots, avoiding the use of rapid cuts and close-ups to generate thrilling action. Instead, he relies on the actors to generate excitement. Evans openly discusses his choice not to employ a steadicam operator, preferring to shoot the film handheld, with a stabilizer for added support.

It’s all of these things together that make for some brilliant action and a nonstop thrill ride known as The Raid.

Today’s Scene

Here are some selections from our staff for what you should watch this weekend.

Stop the endless Netflix scroll and let us pick for you.

Christian’s Pick

The Wonderful Story of Henrey Sugar - Netflix

Wow.

Yes, this literally dropped on Netflix this week, so it might not be a hidden gem that is waiting to be discovered.

Nevertheless, I think you should take the 40 min to watch this film.

Anderson perfectly fits the mold of a Rahl Dahl story, and if Fantastic Mr. Fox didn’t convince you… this will.

WATCH NOW

Tom’s Pick

Eating Raoul (1982) - MAX

I can’t believe I’m recommending this.

WATCH NOW

Tyler’s Pick

Muppets (2011) Disney+

I’m not gonna lie, this film is no masterpiece and yet I find zero flaws with it. I love this movie so much. It was formative in my love for movies and helped shape my sense of humor.

If you have kids, show it to them. If you don’t, that’s okay, just grab your roommate Ted and watch with him. You’ll still have a great time.

WATCH NOW

Caleb’s Pick

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Max)

Okay look I know that this seems like a crazy pick.

And honestly it is.

But, as a guy who never really cared for the Wizarding World movies to begin with, I was pleasantly surprised. This movie is fun, quirky, and full of wonder in a way that I don't think many of the other Harry Potter movies are. Anyway, I understand if you hate me.

WATCH NOW

Here is some of the latest news that we found interesting…